Am I Alone?
by flamedrops
Summary: Azami, daughter of a chunnin and a civilian of konoha is hurled into the whirlpools of life. As the six year old paves her path through fire, follow her into an unending maze of life, friendship and sometimes, loneliness...
1. a special day?

A/N: This is my first Naruto fanfiction. No, don't go easy on me. Constructive criticism is always welcome! Flame if you please, expression is your fundamental right. So...oh well...

And obviously, I don't own Naruto. I would be writing the manga then, not this fanfiction. I won't repeat that every chapter. Coz I'm lazy...

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There was a jump in her step as Azami set off for the ninja academy. She wasn't sure why she felt so happy. She wasn't one to sulk or brood, but she couldn't remember when in her 7 years on this planet she had felt happier. Maybe it was because otou-san and Kazumi-neechan were due to be back today from their month long mission. Yes, that had to be it.

She reached her class and slipped into the seat she sat everyday. She greeted whoever she saw with a smile and a wave, even those clan kids she somewhat feared. They nodded before going back to whatever they had been doing. Yamanaka Ino cocked an eyebrow before grinning and running to her.

"Anything special today, Azami-chan? You do look happy! Did you get someone you like?" Ino winked at her.

" What?!", she spluttered, face growing pink."Ino-san.."

" Just call me Ino or Ino-chan. We're friends right? "

" Oh..yeah sure!"

" So.."

"Yeah, it's just that otou-san and neechan should be back today. Haven't seen them in ages!"

Ino threw back her head and laughed. Azami looked at her face and smiled sheepishly. Had that been too childish?

" You have a cute blush", Ino poked her cheek, making her face go redder."Wanna have lunch with us today? "

Azami's eyes grew wide. Have lunch with Ino-chan and _all _the other clan kids? Her father was a chunnin of Konoha, her mother a civilian. She had a good idea of the physical and political strength of the clans. Have lunch with a Yamanaka, an Inuzuka, Akimichi, Nara, Aburame, a Hyyuga _and _an Uchiha? All at once? And with the Uchiha being the cutest and smartest guy ever,won't that be too daring?

Ino frowned and waved her hands in front of Azami's eyes,"Hello! Anyone there? "

"I...I am not too sure Ino - chan. I mean, I am just...and you..."

" Oh come on! They all are idiots, but they are fun! You've gotta come! "

" Okay.."

Ino thumped her on the back,"That's the spirit! See you soon!"

Azami looked at the beautiful blonde girl walk away and smiled. Today was a great day! She would make new friends, a whole lot, and they would be clan kids! What would Kazumi - neechan say to_ that_?

Azami broke out of her thoughts when they were greeted with a "Good morning, class"

"Good morning sensei!" she chorused and settled down with her books. She couldn't wait for lunch break! She hummed inaudibly as Iruka sensei taught them a chapter on the basics of chakra control. She was absorbed in marking an important passage in her book when a sound pulled her back to reality.

" Lunch break already? I knew time flies when you are happy, but..", she looked up to see the door opening.

Not the lunch break then.

" Can you come outside for a moment, sensei? "

Azami peered from her seat at the back of the class and gulped. The person at the door was clad in navy spandex and heavy metallic armour. The face was hidden behind one of those creepy white masks with colourful streaks here and there. An ANBU. What was an ANBU doing early in the morning at the ninja academy of all places? She wanted him to go away, fast. ANBU and their masks gave her the creeps.

Iruka sensei looked as confused as her as he nodded and stepped outside, forgetting to warn the class for once. No one kept an ANBU waiting, if you aren't the hokage that is.

The class erupted to howls and peals of laughter. Azami sighed and began doodling on her notebook. She liked Iruka sensei's class. He was short tempered and strict, but he had one of the kindest faces. He was a chunnin, but his knowledge and personality would earn respect even from a jonnin, not to forget that he was one good teacher.

" Azami chan?"

Azami stiffed and looked up. Sensei had entered the class. How had she missed it? She stood up.

"Yes sensei? "

" I want you to go with ANBU san here. You are needed at home. "

Azami looked petrified. Go alone with an _ANBU_? Iruka noticed her hesitation and smiled kindly.

" Don't worry. He means good. You don't need to be scared."

"Hai, sensei", she said. Great, now the whole class would be laughing at her.

" Good. Now pack your bag and go. You can take your leave."

Azami packed her bag with a frown. As much as she wanted to go home and meet her father and sister, she had been looking forward to the lunch break. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

She reached the front of the class and bowed to her teacher.

" Arigatou, sensei"

Iruka sensei placed a hand on her head and ruffled her hair a little.

" Arigatou", he smiled back.

Azami's eyes widened in surprise for the umpteenth time that day. Iruka sensei was friendly, yes, but never showed affection openly. And absolutely _not _in front of the whole class. What was up with everyone today?

If only Azami had been a little more observant, or mature for that matter, she would have noticed that his smile seemed stretched. The ends of his eyes didn't crinkle the way they should, he didn't tilt his head to a side like he always did when smiling. But she didn't. And he was thankful of it.

Azami stepped out of the class cautiously and stiffly smiled at the man before her.

" He..hello ANBU san"

The man simply nodded and hoisted her on his back, earning a squeal.

" I can walk, ANBU san, really fast", Azami tried weakly.

" I know"

That was all he said before sprinting out of the academy and jumping on a rooftop. Then he proceeded to go 'the ninja way'. Azami didn't mind. Her father often gave her such rides and she would soon be learning herself. Only difference, this man was twice as fast as her father, his hold on her wasn't half as comforting. So she heaved a sigh of relief when she was finally put down.

" What...what is this..", she started in confusion.

" The hospital" he said simply before walking inside. Azami found herself walking behind him to the helpdesk. Her six year old mind was swimming with confusion but she could come up with no logical explanation why she was here. People came to the hospital when they are sick. She wasn't sick, was she? She checked her forehead subconsciously. Absolutely normal.

The ANBU stopped at the enquiry desk and asked the lady," How is Yuki san doing?"

Azami looked at him in absolute alarm. Yuki-san, that meant...

" She hasn't come around yet." ,came the answer.

Azami frantically tugged at the man's trousers,"Hey, hey, what's wrong with my mother? You said Yuki - san, right? Was that oka-san? Please..."

"Yes it was", the black op. replied in a calm, _cold _voice. Azami found herself trembling.

" Wh..what's wrong? This..this very morning...she was fine...smiling...then?", she stammered out. Instead of replying, the man took hold of her arm and gave a tug. Without further protest, almost robotically, the confused, scared six year old followed the much older man. After a while they came to a halt. Azami looked up and saw a man, a medic-nin talking to the ANBU.

" Yuki - san will come around soon. It's nothing serious. "

Azami let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't serious then. But if it wasn't, why was the ANBU involved?

" How much time before she comes around? ", spoke the man in black spandex. He sounded _impatient_.

" Look here, ANBU-san.", said the medic in a patient voice. " She has been put to sleep. At least twelve hours, I would say."

The ANBU paused for a moment. Then he bit out the words,"Doctor, I think you _perfectly _understand that we _can't waste time. "_

The two men stared at each other for a few seconds, and the medic sighed.

" Is there no other way?", the doctor sounded tired.

" None that we, or for that matter, _you _can think of. "

The medic sighed again,"Okay "

He knelt down to Azami's level, making her jump. " What's your name dear?"

" Aa..Azami"

"That's a nice name", he gave the usual compliment and ruffled her hair.

Azami narrowed her eyes. She could understand well that this wasn't one of those pointless conversations. Only she had no idea where it was going. The fear and the anticipation were suffocating her.

" We have a little task for you, Azami - chan"

The point of the conversation at last. Azami furrowed her eyebrows. The medic smiled kindly.

" No need to worry little one. I and ANBU san will be with you. Ok?"

She tilted her head slowly. At other times, the doctor would have found it adorable, but now his thoughts were far from it. He nodded to the silent man in black spandex and led the path, followed closely by the six year old.

Azami had not noticed how long they had walked but she came to a halt as the medic nin pushed open a steel door.

" Come Azami - chan, " He grabbed her hand and motioned her to come inside. The kid shivered as she entered the room. It was freezing cold inside.

" Why is it this cold shinobi-san?"

No one answered her. Instead, the medic smiled at her yet again,.

" You have to do a little job. I heard you are really smart. Now, see if you can recognise this. "

He walked to a table beside a hospital bed and came back with something vaguely familiar.

" Now, do you recognise this ninja tools pouch?"

Azami frowned and took it from his hand. There was a tiny picture of a flower and a flame at the bottom right corner.

" Hey, this is Kazumi - neechan's! Where'd you get it? " She turned it around and almost dropped it."Bloo..blood? "

The medic took it from her and looked at the ANBU, who gave a silent nod of approval.

Azami finally found her voice. "Hey what's going on here? Will someone tell me?", she shouted indigantly.

The doctor picked her up and said,"Almost done, little kid. Now just one small work, ok? Then I will send you to your mother. "

Azami frowned but nodded slowly. Taking a last look at the almost casual black op, he walked to the hospital bed with the girl in his arms. Azami gasped in shock as she finally had a good look at what was on the bed. A figure wrapped in white sheets. Or rather, once white sheets which were now stained here and there with a brownish red. The doctor gently removed the sheet at one side. Azami felt bile rise up her throat as a battered, torn arm came to view. It easily twisted at a weird angle as the doctor lifted it slightly.

" This ring, and the bracelet. Do you recognise? "

Azami stared at it, her vision growing blurry.

" Do you? "

" Yes"

" Whose are they?"

Azami hung her head down and glared at the white tiles on the floor.

" Azami - chan, whose?", demanded the doctor with a sudden sternness.

Without moving, in a hoarse, almost fierce whisper, the six year bit out,"Remove the cloth."

The doctor flinched slightly and paused. Then with a sad, tired sigh said, "The face isn't recognisable kiddo. That's why you were brought here. "

" Who?"

"ANBU is investigating."

Everything fell into place slowly as the six year old brain processed all the information. Iruka sensei's behaviour, ANBU's impatience, the overtly kind doctor. But only one thing was out of place. Something else was horribly wrong. It suddenly clicked and Azami blurted out,"Otou-san! Where is he? Where was he when..."

She trailed off when the medic's eyes softened and looked away. Azami followed his gaze, her heart thumping painfully. Another figure, in an adjacent bed. Same white covers, same stains.

" We are sorry", the medic nin apologised in almost inaudible voice."It was already too late."

Azami felt numb. She couldn't think, or understand for that matter. Surely this wasn't supposed to happen. Was it even happening? Then, it finally began to sink in. She flinched at the comforting squeeze that the doctor gave her. Her heart began racing at sixty miles an hour, and she began taking sharp, shallow breaths.

" Azami - chan, breath easy", said the alarmed doctor.

With a snarl, she pushed him away and leapt to the ground. She paid no heed to his shouts as she ran, pushed away the black spandex clad silver -haired ninja roughly and raced out of the hospital.


	2. I don't understand

A/N: Last chapter, there was a confusion. The kids are now about 6 and a half years old, give or take a few months. This is a while before the Uchiha massacre. And I still don't own Naruto. Reviews and criticism are always welcome, now on to the story!

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Naruto plopped down on the swing as usual, and after a while, began pushing himself on it, as usual. It was just a normal day. Everyone around was running about and playing, everyone was ignoring him. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a girl standing in a rather secluded spot. He vaguely remembered seeing her in class. He shrugged. Just a normal tiffin break. He started eating the bread he had hastily wrapped in paper. A sudden movement caught his eye and he instinctively stopped munching. Did that girl just fall?

When Azami finally took in her bearings she was standing in the academy compound. Her chest hurt, hurt, hurt. That's all she could think. Before she could control her swimming vision, her knees gave way, and she threw up her breakfast on an unlucky bush. She fell on her hands and knees and panted. Warm water trickled down her face, she couldn't understand where they were coming from. She couldn't understand anything. What had happened? Surely this wasn't supposed to happen, right? She wanted mommy, daddy and big sister. She felt so alone, so terrifyingly lonely.

" Are you allright?"

Azami looked up with an almost maniacal was a male voice asking her, right? Was it daddy? It had to be, it must be.

No. Whoever it was, he was as small as her, and with her blurry vision she could make out only some colours..orange, yellow, blue. Her face fell.

Two small arms gripped her shoulders . " Why are you crying? Shall I call sensei?" Azami looked up. Go to call sensei and leave her alone again? No he couldn't! With sudden haste, she grabbed the hand that rested on her shoulder.

That Naruto was confused was an understatement to say the least. He had no idea how to handle a situation like this. His classmate was crying, she looked pale and sick. The best he could think of was to call Iruka sensei. But apparently she wanted him to be there with her. She wanted _him _to stay with her.

And if she wanted _that, _he was willing to comply. Because at last, at last someone needed him. He knelt down in front of the girl and allowed her to take his hand in hers, and to hold them tight and weep. Cry her heart out. For a moment he felt he was being selfish, but he shrugged it off. He was a monster right? Selfishness should be natural to him.

In the middle of gossip and laughter, Ino suddenly stopped. " Do you hear something? ", she inquired her friends.

" What? ", said Shikamaru, bored and annoyed as usual.

" Listen, idiot! "

" Is that someone crying?" Sakura asked.

" I can hear nothing but Choji's chips", commented Kiba. Akamaru barked irritatedly.

Ino mumbled things under her breath and announced, " I am going to see what's wrong. You don't have to come if you don't want to."

" Ah", Sakura chirped. "I'm coming too!"

After they went, Hinata spoke up shyly, " I..I ...Ino chan was right. I hear..heard it too.."

Shikamaru sighed dramatically. " Let's go check it out guys. God, what a drag!"

After they left, Shino sighed to himself and decided to follow them.

Sasuke was halfway through his onigiri, and was just reaching the delicious tomato stuffing when he heard the unmistakable sound of someone crying. He frowned, then took a last sad look at his tiffin and put it back in his tiffin box. Lunch could wait, his aniki had taught him well what one's priorities were. He silently made his way to the source of the sound, and what he saw made his blood boil. It was him, _him, _that orange knuckle-headed jerk. And a girl was sobbing in front of him. How _dare _he bully someone? Holding his head high in the air, Sasuke marched to the duo and bit out,"Stop it right now dobe."

Naruto looked up at him confused. Ino and Sakura reached the scene and stopped, gasping in shock.

" Shame on you, dobe. Picking on your classmate. Seriously, has no one ever taught you anything? "

This pushed Naruto over the edge. " Listen _teme, _I am _not _picking on her or whatever you call it. And yeah, you are right. You see, unlike you, I don't have a clan of hundreds, or a family for that matter. Got it _teme?_"

Sasuke was taken aback at the sudden outburst. Nevertheless it took him only a moment to fly into a rage.

" Why you little..."

" Stop it Sasuke kun!", came two voices and his punch stopped in mid air. Ino and Sakura came running to the scene. Ino squeaked seeing Azami in this condition.

" That's Azami - chan, right? Didn't she go with an ANBU? What's wrong with her? "

Sasuke glared at Naruto and he glared back. Taking a step forward and placing his palm on Azami's quivering shoulder, Sasuke said to the girls, "Go and call sensei. Fast."

" Right! Let's go Sakura! " The girls raced to the academy building.

Azami had stopped crying, though she had barely noticed it. Her little body was being wrecked by tremors, and it was getting harder and harder to breath. Taking a lungful of air in a sharp gasp, she turned her head slightly to the new pressure on her left shoulder. Another boy, in black. Sasuke, she recognised, before another gasp from her own throat broke her thoughts and she felt all strength leave her body. She felt everything sinking, shutting down, before her head lolled to a side and she collapsed.

Sasuke had caught her in reflex and frowned at the other pair of arms holding the girl.

" Scoot, dobe"

" Stop it, will you? Teme, she is holding me if you can't see"

Sasuke made a noise of utmost frustration. The dobe was right, Azami's hand was still loosely clasping the knucklehead's scrawny palm. He turned his head to the side as he sensed a crowd approaching, with Iruka at the front.

Iruka broke into a run and knelt down beside his students.

"Sasuke, Naruto, what happened here?", he demanded, holding the girl as Sasuke released him.

Sasuke looked at Naruto, who just shook his head "I have no idea, sensei! She was standing, then she fell, and threw up! And then I came to see, and she was like, holding my hand real tight...and crying! And then..she breathed like this.."

Naruto gave a demonstration of her hyperventilating, and Iruka felt the sinking feeling in his stomach grow. Whatever had they _done _to her?

He looked at Sasuke for his approval, but he looked as impassive as ever, glaring a hole in a tree trunk. He quickly pried off Azami's grip on Naruto's hand and stood up with her in his hold.

He turned to the crowd of shocked kids behind him, searching for someone sensible.

" Ino, Shikamaru, report this to Mizuki sensei. He will be taking your classes today. Others, go back to your class! I am taking her to the hospital. Go!"

He took one last look at Sasuke' s irritated face and Naruto's worried one, before he jumped up on a nearby roof and raced to the hospital. He was going to get to the bottom of this. Whoever had put her through this would have some explaining to do.


	3. Naruto one, Sasuke nil

A/N: I still don't own Naruto...

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Naruto's eyes stuck to his sensei's rapidly moving body. Chewing his lip, he squinted, trying to catch a look of Azami. He heard someone shuffle beside him. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Sasuke still glaring at Iruka's retreating figure.

"Say Sasuke", Naruto spoke thoughtfully, forgetting the 'teme' for once."She will be ok soon, right?"

Sasuke turned back and pushed his hands further into the pockets, "As if I care." With that he walked off, leaving behind an angry blonde kid.

"_Why?_" Iruka demanded for the third time, desperately trying to get a reaction from the stoic ANBU black op. The most he had got till now was a half lidded gaze from behind the mask that was beginning to creep him out. At last, in an almost amused tone, the man said,"You are brave, that's sure Umino-san."  
Iruka's hand gripped the side of his trousers, knowing full well what he was implying. Iruka Umino, academy teacher and chunnin, had dared to question an elite ANBU. He gave himself a moment to think, had he overreacted? But instantly the memory his student's bloodless face and limp body hit him like a tidal wave. Of course he hadn't.  
"What was done to her?" he pressed again.  
"Nothing much", said the spandex clad man. The next few moments passed silently with Iruka looking at him incredulously before the man sighed and said, "She was taken to identify a dead body. Turns out it was her sister."  
Iruka's eyes widened in horror,"But you said it was her father, that he was brought back fatally injured."  
The man sharply turned to him, his half lidded gaze replaced by sudden sternness, "It's _both_. Both are dead. The female body was too hard to recognize, the facial bones were shattered. Her mother was put to sleep by doctors; she went into a shock. We needed a family member to formally recognize the bodies, and we were short on time to continue the investigation of their deaths. So we had to take the brat."  
"But", said Iruka softly. "Azami-Chan is six years old. _Six._"  
"And nearing the age when I had my first kill." commented the ANBU shinobi.  
Iruka blanched. _ Of course, the Third Shinobi World War. _Both men stood in silence after this, accompanied by the rhythmic beeping from the nearby Intensive Care Unit.

Azami slowly opened her eyes and scrunched her nose. A horrible smell had hit her nose, and a killer headache wasn't helping much. She groggily sat up, her memory betraying her for once. Gingerly tilting her head to a side, she took in the whitewashed walls and the white sheets and the creepy smell of fresh flowers mixed with that of medicine. From what she knew, this had to be a hospital, and she already hated it. But why was she here? She wanted to go home.

The heads of two men in the corridor snapped up when the beeping sound quickened. Without a word, they both headed towards the room, Iruka hurrying and the ANBU following at a slower pace. Taking a deep breath, Iruka pushed the door open. Azami noticed it and her eyes widened.  
"Sensei?"  
Iruka offered a watery smile. "Hello Azami-chan. How are you feeling?"  
Azami nodded timidly, "I am fine." Then she froze. The ANBU had entered the room and was leaning on the wall, his eyes never leaving her. And then it hit her. It _hadn't been a dream_. She peeled her eyes off his and covered her face with her hands, nails digging into her scalp. Iruka moved over and pulled her close. They both said nothing. But Azami soaked up all the comfort Iruka was generously enveloping her with.  
"I want to go home, sensei"  
"Yeah, let's see if you can be checked out. Your mother's there." He pretended not to notice her flinch.

The funeral was a small one. Yuki was not crying, but a line of tear was sliding down her face and drying up, every few minutes. There were Iruka and Mizuki, a few fellow shinobi. There was the Sandaime of course; the kind man said his prayers alike for every one of his soldiers. Naruto peeked down from his perch on a high branch, eyes scanning the ground. He couldn't spot Azami. She had _refused _to come.

It was two weeks before anyone saw her again. And when they did, she was sitting on the front row of the class which was totally against her previous back-bencher rules. She listened to the lectures with unwavering attention, did not join the games in lunch hour, requested special taijutsu training from Mizuki-sensei, and did not look like a frightened rabbit. And Naruto noticed, her cheeks no longer became the sickly pink on seeing Sasuke. He smiled devilishly to himself; it gave him an inordinate sense of pleasure. Naruto one, Sasuke nil.


End file.
